It's all about raising goat, a wonderful animal which has contributed so much to humanity. The history of raising goat can be traced back to thousand of years ago. If it is good for the people back then, most probably it is good for the people at present and in the future too. We hope that you will gather some useful information, ideas or inspiration from here. If you have anything to share, please do not hesitate to put your comment. Have fun!

Sunday, February 4, 2007

10. What is a Boer goat and why breed Boer goats?

Q: What is a Boer goat? The Boer goat was developed in South Africa as a breed meant solely for meat production. The term "Boer" refers to the descendants of the Dutch immigrants, or Boers, most of them farmers, who settled the country; thus, "Boer" goat simply means "farmer's" goat. Because of the intense selective breeding over the past 50 years or more by South African goat breeders, the Boer goat is considered far superior to any other goat for meat production. It is known for rapid weight gain and heavy muscling and has high fertility. Boer does typically give birth to twins.

Q: What's a Boer goat good for? Because the Boer was selectively improved for its meat production ability and its ability to pass on that trait to its offspring, along with other traits including pasture hardiness, the addition of a Boer buck to a commercial meat goat herd can improve the meat characteristics of the offspring without making them too "soft" to be pasture goats.Q: What do Boer goats cost in Malaysia? A fullblood Boer goat will cost around RM2500-3000 per head while F1 Boer goat will coast around RM700-1200 per head.The price will depend very much on the size, age and quality of the goat.

Q: Do I need Boer influence in my herd to be a successful meat goat producer? Nope. Not at all. Right now you could probably do well raising and selling meat goats (providing demand holds at present levels and imports don't absolutely flood the country) even if you raised wild, skinny, tough, unimproved meat goats. But as the industry develops and grows, you'll probably want to add at least a Boer buck to your flock to compete with the meaty animals sure to hit the market in the near future.Full article can be found at www.boergoatshome.com